Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to cover two more areas, the first being the issue of oversight and the Department's relationship with local authorities and the second, the issue of water. On local authorities, we have seen substantial local government reform although some of that process, particularly with regard to new structures, is still ongoing. Is it possible to explain in lay man's terms exactly where the savings will accrue to the taxpayer from the local government reforms? We have seen the abolition of town councils, a reduction in the number of local representatives nationally as well as other synergies and savings. I ask Mr. McCarthy to give us an overview of where the Department expects to see savings for the taxpayer as a consequence of new local government structures.